Read Online Brothers to the Death (The Saga of Larten Crepsley) by Darren Shan - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Darren Shan
Tags: JUV005000
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chuckled bitterly. “Donot misunderstand me. We
will
find Randel Chayne. There is nowhere he can hide from us. When time is our ally, we will track him down and kill him.
“Aye,” he growled. “And we might have a little
sport
with him before we tear his head from his neck. I never had much of a taste for torture, but there is a time and a place for everything.
“But not now,” he said firmly. “Our obligation to the clan comes first. We will not be reckless in this matter. We are better than Randel Chayne. We will honor those who have placed their faith in us. Then, when we have our freedom, we will find the bloodthirsty cur and exact a most terrible and fitting revenge.
“Do not return to me when you part company with Sylva,” Larten said, gripping Gavner’s arms. “Find another master. Learn new ways to kill. Push yourself hard. Become the finest vampire you can. When it is time, I will summon you and we will take the battle to Randel Chayne and any vampaneze who sides with him. We will kill a hundred to get to him if that is what it takes.”
“You won’t try to find him without me?” Gavner asked lowly.
“On Alicia’s blood, I swear I will not.”
And on that bleak, savage note they had parted.
Larten drained the mug of ale and called for another. He hadn’t drunk so much since his nights as a Cub. Back then he had enjoyed alcohol. Now he drank solely to numb his nerves and ready himself for what was to come.
A guard added a new name to the list. Larten studied the letters, but they didn’t spell
Gavner Purl
. He returned to the middle of the list—he was less than halfway through—and let his eyes scroll down again. He had gone through all of these names the night before, but he planned to recheck the whole list in case he’d missed Gavner’s the first time around. Of course he hadn’t—Gavner would have sought him out if he’d arrived—but he played along with the game. Anything to delay the moment when he must face a wave of Generals and address them like a prophet.
As he scanned the names, his thoughts wandered once more. He hadn’t seen Gavner for three years after Paris. He’d spent most of that time leading the Nazis on a merry dance. Then he’d been asked to rescue a few vampires who had been caught by them. Not all of the vampires in Europe had heard or heeded Mika’s warning to evacuate, and the Germans had managed to ensnare some strays.
The clashes with the Nazis might have continued if not for Vancha March. The Prince kept his nose out of the messy business for a long time. Like everybody else, he figured the likes of Mika Ver Leth and Paris Skyle were best suited to this delicate business. He thought he’d only stir things up if he got involved.
But eventually the scraggly Prince lost his temper. It was clear that the Nazis were going to carry on trapping unsuspecting vampires. They hoped to use the blood of the clan to build a regiment of superpowered soldiers. Vancha decided that the time for diplomacy had passed. Without discussing it with anyone, he took matters into his own hands.
Vancha flitted to Berlin and found the base of the Nazi leader. In the dead of night, he slipped through the arrogant Führer’s defenses and cornered him in his bedroom. With his nails pressed to the flesh of the trembling man’s throat, Vancha told him that if even one more vampire was targeted, he would return and finish the job.
A Vampire Prince would always put the needs of the clan before his own life. If self-sacrifice was required, no Prince would hesitate to offer his life for a cause he believed in. But Vancha thought the pompous Hitler was fonder of his neck than a Prince wouldhave been, and that proved to be the case. Having been threatened, he called off his troops, and no vampire had been bothered since.
Mika seethed when he heard of Vancha’s heavy-handed approach. When the Prince returned to Vampire Mountain, Mika confronted him and accused him of acting without
will
find Randel Chayne. There is nowhere he can hide from us. When time is our ally, we will track him down and kill him.
“Aye,” he growled. “And we might have a little
sport
with him before we tear his head from his neck. I never had much of a taste for torture, but there is a time and a place for everything.
“But not now,” he said firmly. “Our obligation to the clan comes first. We will not be reckless in this matter. We are better than Randel Chayne. We will honor those who have placed their faith in us. Then, when we have our freedom, we will find the bloodthirsty cur and exact a most terrible and fitting revenge.
“Do not return to me when you part company with Sylva,” Larten said, gripping Gavner’s arms. “Find another master. Learn new ways to kill. Push yourself hard. Become the finest vampire you can. When it is time, I will summon you and we will take the battle to Randel Chayne and any vampaneze who sides with him. We will kill a hundred to get to him if that is what it takes.”
“You won’t try to find him without me?” Gavner asked lowly.
“On Alicia’s blood, I swear I will not.”
And on that bleak, savage note they had parted.
Larten drained the mug of ale and called for another. He hadn’t drunk so much since his nights as a Cub. Back then he had enjoyed alcohol. Now he drank solely to numb his nerves and ready himself for what was to come.
A guard added a new name to the list. Larten studied the letters, but they didn’t spell
Gavner Purl
. He returned to the middle of the list—he was less than halfway through—and let his eyes scroll down again. He had gone through all of these names the night before, but he planned to recheck the whole list in case he’d missed Gavner’s the first time around. Of course he hadn’t—Gavner would have sought him out if he’d arrived—but he played along with the game. Anything to delay the moment when he must face a wave of Generals and address them like a prophet.
As he scanned the names, his thoughts wandered once more. He hadn’t seen Gavner for three years after Paris. He’d spent most of that time leading the Nazis on a merry dance. Then he’d been asked to rescue a few vampires who had been caught by them. Not all of the vampires in Europe had heard or heeded Mika’s warning to evacuate, and the Germans had managed to ensnare some strays.
The clashes with the Nazis might have continued if not for Vancha March. The Prince kept his nose out of the messy business for a long time. Like everybody else, he figured the likes of Mika Ver Leth and Paris Skyle were best suited to this delicate business. He thought he’d only stir things up if he got involved.
But eventually the scraggly Prince lost his temper. It was clear that the Nazis were going to carry on trapping unsuspecting vampires. They hoped to use the blood of the clan to build a regiment of superpowered soldiers. Vancha decided that the time for diplomacy had passed. Without discussing it with anyone, he took matters into his own hands.
Vancha flitted to Berlin and found the base of the Nazi leader. In the dead of night, he slipped through the arrogant Führer’s defenses and cornered him in his bedroom. With his nails pressed to the flesh of the trembling man’s throat, Vancha told him that if even one more vampire was targeted, he would return and finish the job.
A Vampire Prince would always put the needs of the clan before his own life. If self-sacrifice was required, no Prince would hesitate to offer his life for a cause he believed in. But Vancha thought the pompous Hitler was fonder of his neck than a Prince wouldhave been, and that proved to be the case. Having been threatened, he called off his troops, and no vampire had been bothered since.
Mika seethed when he heard of Vancha’s heavy-handed approach. When the Prince returned to Vampire Mountain, Mika confronted him and accused him of acting without
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